Heartfire
WoWScrnShot_090713_201051.jpg|The Heartfire serves not only as an interceptor frigate, but an escort to the Ravager's Breadth. WoWScrnShot_090713_200858.jpg|The Heartfire's leading ram has been reinforced for improved damage. WoWScrnShot_090713_200906.jpg|Starboard artillery with auxiliary port closed. WoWScrnShot_090713_200912.jpg|Port artillery with auxiliary port closed. WoWScrnShot_090713_201042.jpg|Not at all to be taken as a joke, the Heartfire's ramming capabilities are quite powerful. The Heartfire is the first vessel under the command of the Will of Iron to be purchased and completely made by Alliance hands. Currently with a worgen captain, the warship is brand new to warfare and is docked steadily near the Will of Iron's firebase, Steelwall Airstrip. Some major modifications were implemented, dominantly to increase durability and reduce reloading time. These adjustments were made by Sun'low of the Firewind Clan, with help by several dedicated engineers. Like all Willian vessels, the ship is considered a Juggernaut-class vessel with immense plating on the frontal bow and the main hull itself. As per common custom, as well, all of the craft's artillery is 125mm AS guns - standard calliber of the Will of Iron in terms of vehicle weapon width. However, just like the rest of the Onyx Airfleet, the Heartfire is now under Platinum Entente command. She is the only know vessel to be active during the switch of command, and is currently sailing toward the Thousand Needles. Origins and General Information The Heartfire is a modified Proudmoore-class warship, it's major difference being the reinforced hull, major battering ram, forward gun emplacements, and Galleon-esque sails. Hailing from the open shipyards of Lion's Landing, the craft is dominantly made of light, yet absurdly strong, Pandaren woods native to Pandaria. Many of it's details, however, are common among Eastern Kingdom ship designs, with a wide bow and bulbous stern, crowned with twin masts and a newly-implemented obtuse triangle lead sail. Though, as strong as the vessel may seem, the original craft was top-heavy and poor to manuever. When one was to go under, if said happened, it had a tendency to sink bow-down, causing evacuations to go awry when the vessel went stern-skyward. Another drawback, as well, would be the fact the turning system seemed to be unreliable: the rudder's mass, compared to the main vessel, was miniscule and hardly noticable. During rough seas, or high winds, the rudder would not react to commands from the helm, forcing the ship to go to half-sail to regain control. In regards of tactics used on the ship, it would use it's high speed and -- with modification -- high manueverability to not only ram the target, but fire a point-blank broadside into the target. The damage inflicted from the initial ram would be catastrophic, piercing the hull below the waterline and buckeling support braces. In addition, when the ship finally tore free, the point-blank broadside would tear through the hulls of most ships and detonate within the vessel to cause maximum damage. Modifications The Heartfire became a Willian ship when it undergone immense changes to it's origin design. Outfitted to be nearly immune to natural weather and able to resist even the most brutal of cannons, the following changes have made the ship a force of reckoning: *Ghost Iron hull reinforcements: extra ghost iron beams were added to the interior hull in order to increase ship endurance. *Replacement of steel with Ghost Iron: where steel armor would be, is replaced with Ghost Iron to save weight and increase durability. *Replacement of artillery: the Heartfire has new, rear-loading anti-shipping guns (akin to that of a modern warship) to replace the front-loading, slow-firing cannon. 125mm in caliber, firing HEDP rounds. *Reinforced frontal ram: the main blade of the battering ram has been reinforced with hardened ghost iron, allowing for less wear on the blade itself as the ship sails forth. *Replacement of sails: the sails aboard the Heartfire have been replaced with dense leather, coated in Entente colors and logo with an Alliance flag on the main mast. *Replacement of rudder systems: the small rudder system the Heartfire orginally had now sports a large, stabilizing, steel rudder that is capable of making the ship turn on a dime. The vessel has been made a Juggernaut, at the expense of severe ghost iron resource depletion. As well, it's crew is also battle-hardened, meaning experinced pirates were "recruited" into service by the Heartfire's former captain, Brynne Blackmane. A broadside could be fired every fifty seconds, and the top speed of the frigate being nearly fourty knots -- the fastest Will of Iron ship to date. The Heartfire serves in the Onyx Airfleet, despite the fact it is a sea-faring vessel. Currently, the Heartfire has a temporary crew and is relatively undermanned, but is expected to stay in service, says Warder Trevor Koron. Category:Onyx Airfleet Category:Ships Category:Vehicles